Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha Ponders Cabinet Reshuffle

General Prayuth Chan-ocha, flanked by other members of the National Council

BANGKOK – Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has indicated a cabinet reshuffle, saying if the work he has designed to relevant ministers could not be accomplished or could not proceed, then the change was necessary.

In May last year the Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha used his military connections to appoint nine retired armed forces generals, one retired police officer and two active army officers as cabinet members. Others were invited by him to serve the government which was set up after the military coup.

Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha indication of a cabinet change may have come from last week’s economic forum in which the deputy prime minister M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula criticized him for having no knowledge of economy in criticizing economic projects he was in charge did not make progress.

Gen Prayut said he didn’t mind the deputy prime minister’s criticism but said if economic tasks he had ordered them to tackle could not proceed or delay, then it should be changed.

MR Pridiyathorn’s criticism of the prime minister caused uneasiness among several businessmen joining the forum.

Deputy Prime Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula is the economic team leader which includes Finance Minister Sommai Phasee among others.

Thai Business leaders have criticized the government’s economic team as being too slow in tackling the economic slowdown.

MR Pridiyathorn has shrugged off a rumors that he would be a target in any reshuffle.